🏆 Xander Schauffele on Rookie Advice, Fatherhood & Ryder Cup Team Spirit 🇺🇸⛳

Xander Schauffele spoke to the media ahead of the 2025 Ryder Cup, sharing a mix of personal and team perspectives. Now a new father to baby Victor, Schauffele reflected on balancing family life with golf and admitted that even as a veteran, the nerves of the first tee never go away. His advice to rookies? Embrace the nerves, lean on teammates, and soak in the once-in-a-lifetime atmosphere created by the fans.

He also praised Bryson DeChambeau as a potential “difference-maker” for Team USA, highlighting his energy and ability to ignite the crowd. Schauffele emphasized the importance of Keegan Bradley’s leadership, the camaraderie of locker room moments, and the pride of playing for his country. With his eyes set on redemption after a challenging season, Xander made clear that nothing would cap off 2025 better than lifting the Ryder Cup trophy with his teammates.

#rydercup #schauffele #golf

All good. AC Xander Schoffley joins us now at the 2025 RDER Cup. Xander, welcome to your third RDER Cup. We’re going to go ahead and jump right into questions. Anybody? Go ahead, Ann. Hey, Xander. How are you? I’m doing great. Good. Good. With the rookies on the US team, can you talk about what you will bring to them? Maybe some advice or wisdom from your two previous Ryder Cups. Yeah, it’s sort of um once you get to that first TE, it’s kind of hard to prepare yourself for what’s to come. And um I’m just trying to get some advice from them. They’ve been they’ve been kicking my ass all year and um playing unbelievable golf. So, I think that that goes for all our rookies on this team and uh try and just honestly make them feel as comfortable as possible as quickly as possible in the locker room, at dinners, on the bus. Um just talking to them if they have any questions. Um try to help them try to help them. But they are very accomplished and uh I’m not too worried about them. Up to Mike Nine, please. kind of in that same vein in the conversations with you, even with Justin Thomas, you guys have both been here several times. What have those conversations been like? What what’s maybe the most unique thing you’ve been asked as far as advice goes coming into a a competition like this for some of the guys who haven’t been here before? Uh, I mean, they’ll, you know, JJ yesterday was sort of asking, uh, you know, how, you know, how I felt year to year playing in these and and I was happy to tell him. And you know, I’m I’m as nervous as anybody uh when I get to that first C. I’m as I’m I’m as nervous as anyone when I need to hole a putt. Um but you know, I just told him there’s nothing more rewarding than to to be at home and and to make a putt to win a hole or to even tie a hole if you’re in a bad spot and and and get these fans going and get them going quickly. So, um again, I mean, there’s so much you need to learn sort of on the fly and just trying to make them aware of that. Over here to Mike 7. Uh Xander, a couple of questions on the uniqueness of this event. One is the general atmosphere, the songs, the chanting, the banter from the fans. Do you have any particularly fond memories of playing in that environment or interactions with the crowd? Anything that sticks out? You know, I I the fans are what make this event special. You know, if you if you think about not having fans or enough of them, it would be like what we did yesterday, which was really cool to play with my teammates out here and and and sort of peace and quiet, but when it comes to the the getting the sort of the juices flowing over the RDER Cup, uh you need fans to be there. You need them to to do their thing. So, I don’t really have anything sort of, you know, whether it’s it’s, you know, everyone’s singing singing their songs, they’re sort of like, uh, you know, pub drinking songs in in Europe or the sort of heavy USA chance we get here. Um, I I I love all of it to be completely honest. And as a followup, I can’t think of any other sports event where the whole team comes in for a press conference afterwards. Um, and the atmosphere in the room at that point can be joyful obviously or quite ferial. I wonder if you can talk about what it’s like to be in those press conferences after these. Yeah, I’ve been on both sides of it. So, um, it’s uh, you know, I said I think I’ve said it before, I just it’s it’s my favorite thing about about RDER Cups really. Um, besides the fans, besides, you know, all the all the cool things that come with playing in a Ryder Cup, um, the bus rides and sort of the in between the week and, uh, a winning bus ride and a losing bus ride, you know, those are sort of like my favorite. It’s It’s rare to sort of wear a win and a loss with your team. It sucks when I when I blow a tournament on my own. I I have to wear that. my my team will try and make me feel a little bit better, but um nothing feels worse than letting your teammates down. And we we get to feel that sort of once a year. Uh at the same time, as you’ve seen, I also like to celebrate. So, um nothing’s better than celebrating with your teammates when you are able to clip a win. Over here, Bob Xander, uh pretty big life moment here in the last month. um can you take us through how that’s gone and also you’ve you’ve um you know you’ve not competed for a bit now. Can can you update us on maybe where you feel your game is especially coming off you know maybe not a season that you would have preferred? Yeah. Uh it’s been awesome. I uh yeah just had a kid. He’s born on the 29th of August. A little little man. Um his name is Victor. It’s my middle name. No, I didn’t name him after Victor Havland. Um, I was I was I was Victor way before Victor was born. So, um, it’s uh it’s been it’s been awesome. Um, it’s uh I feel very lucky to to have Maya, my wife. Uh, she’s she’s at home with him right now. And, um, I miss him a bunch. You know, I had to sort of rip the band-aid when I was leaving the house just uh, kiss him on the forehead and walk out before I sat there and started staring at him. So, uh, it’s been cool to sort of learn learn what it’s like to be a dad. Um, and I I look forward to everything that comes with that. Golf-wise, obviously didn’t do a whole lot of golf, uh, for a bit, um, having having him and and and trying to be a good teammate to my wife, um, because that’s kind of all us guys can do, uh, early on. So, um, I feel like after these two two days, surprisingly playing kind of nice. So, um, I know I I surprised myself when I came out. Um it was funny to get some texts from from Cap and and a lot of assistant caps to sort of hey uh how you doing you know uh because I wasn’t able to make Napa and um but it it was good to prepare at home on what was you know limited sleep but sort of a a much clearer head than in season. When when did you start kind of trying to ramp up again playing golf? couple week two weeks before. I took about three weeks off um after the BMW and you know I had him on the 29th. So um yeah, it was nice to not think about golf at all um and and rest up and and try and help Maya and and take care of little man. So uh yeah, back up to Mike Nine, please. Um, Xander, you were talking a lot about the rookies and their first timers and kind of how you’re not worried and how you still got nervous on on the first team, but what do you remember back in 2021, your first time, you know, playing in REDR Cup, those emotions? Was there a moment where you kind of realized just how surreal it was, you know, playing in this event? Yeah, again, you know, the the sharing the room, having a locker room, having teammates, having guys to lean on, having guys to pick you up, that’s all new. going out, having music blaring as loud as possible, fans stomping the bleachers, people chanting your name. Um, that’s also new. So, we only we don’t get to practice that a whole lot. And, um, it’s, uh, it’s definitely something, uh, you know, I don’t take for granted, that feeling you get on the first te, the nerves, all that stuff. Mark two. Hey, Xander. Um, just I had two unrelated questions. One was about a Ryder Cup captain and how much of a difference you’ve been in two of these now. How much of a difference can a captain make? I mean, obviously you guys are you guys are have to make the shots, but how much of a difference, for example, can a Keegan make this week? Yeah, I mean I think every every great team has a great leader and um everyone has their own sort of style and you know I think he can he he knows how fiery and passionate he can be and he surrounded himself with some some calmer individuals at times. Um, but I think as a whole, the the captains and the vice captain group are so competitive. You know, most mo most of them are still playing. So, I think when you’re removed from the game a little bit, you can sort of talk about what you have done um versus kind of what you’re doing. And Keegan, just like all the rookies, Keegan’s another one of those guys that has been whooping up on me all year. So, um it’s weird. It’s weird that, you know, he’s kind of not playing in in a sense just because he’s been playing so well. But, um, I think anyone that’s sort of fresh with the sticks at a at an event like this, he he kind of knows what us players need, uh, when we need it. Um, whether it’s a little bit of a break, more practice, less practice, food, fuel, recovery, all that kind of stuff. It’s like second nature to him because that’s what he’s been doing every week when he’s competing. Just unrelated with regard to Bryson, you guys don’t get to see him very often. How would you characterize him as a teammate and and how explosive can be he be for the for your group this week? Yeah, I was telling Keegan, you know, um when when this whole thing was starting that I felt like he could be when you look at REDR Cups and how they shake down, it it’s like a it can kind of seem very different or distant at times when when you win or lose one. But I I was telling Keegan, I was like, I feel like Bryson could be like the difference for us in in in in a strange way from from the standpoint of feeding into these fans, the style of golf he plays, and also how like you look at me, I’ll make a putt and you won’t see like too much of a reaction. That’s just how that’s just who I am. That’s that’s kind of how I operate. Maybe it might change this week. Who knows? You know, these RED caps kind of bring out the best in you at times, but Bryson’s like this is his his arena. you know, if if he like views himself as like a gladiator golfer, like this is as good as it gets. So, he’s been he’s been awesome. Um he’s been awesome in the team room. Uh and I’m excited to to sort of see what he can do. Um uh and hopefully get a lot of points up on the board because his points, you know, his points might hit harder than than than maybe my points, for example, just because of how he might celebrate and get these fans in in this tournament quickly. Thanks, up to Mike 11, please. Xander, uh, you mentioned the the team elements of the wins and losses with this event, but I wondered for you personally what this week offers in terms of how you’ll contextualize or look back on your 2025 season as a whole. Yeah, there’s definitely nice ways to end seasons. Um, so yeah, if we’re able to it’s already been it’s already been a fun start uh sharing the locker room with these guys and um Caddies and the wives and I Keon’s done a really nice job of kind of bringing everyone in as a big family. So, um, there’s a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings on that front, but nothing nothing as warm and fuzzy as as winning one of these things. So, um, you know, baby steps. Our team knows it’s a process and what we need to do to to to get it done. So, it would definitely put it would help me forget a lot about what happened in 2025. We got time for one more. Let’s go up here to Mike number 20. Alexander back here. 20. Yep. Um, this is the first time where the US team have been paid to play. Keegan said yesterday that he’s given the full lot to charity. I’m just wondering, are you giving the full lot to to charity as well? Yeah, that’s my plan. You know, I think uh sort of being a product of the the PJ tour, um, if there’s one thing besides competing at a high level that it’s taught me is to sort of have a positive impact on on the areas that you’re in. Um, and I don’t see why this would be any different. So, um, you know, there’s a lot of pride that comes into playing in one of these and, um, yes, we’re, you know, we’re happy to get paid for this and and and and yes, I plan on on donating it. It’s something that, you know, self selfishly will make me feel good about what I do. And a quick followup, do you think the American fans care that you you’re being paid as a team? Um, I mean, you guys keep talking about it and trying to make it this this negative thing. Um, it’s whatever everyone views it as. You know, I I’m I don’t think I’d be sitting up on this stage if I didn’t have a positive attitude. Um, and I try to look at this in in the most positive of lights as possible opportunity to to do some good, uh, which isn’t always the case. So, again, selfishly, if we’re able to to impact some of the local communities and charities here, uh, I think that’s that’s what should happen. So, um, yeah, thanks for your time, Xander. We appreciate it. Thank you.